Some of the best characters in film don’t just come out of nowhere. Most of the action heroes and damsels in distress we see in movies, have all been inspired by literature and mythology, and villains aren’t exempt from that. While talented screenwriters might be able to create a compelling villain out of nowhere, in most cases, they’re getting the idea from somewhere, and sometimes, the inspiration for the best villains on screen aren’t found in other stories, but in real life.
These characters are iconic villains in their own right, and they’ve actually got their roots in actual criminals and killers that have walked the earth. Makes you a little more scared to watch those movies now, knowing that stuff like that might have actually happened.